A father and son who battered their defenceless puppy in a horrific attack have been spared jail.
White terrier Ted was found cowering behind a door covered in blood and suffering a number of injuries, including a dislocated hip which would have left him in agony, at his home in Harrogate.
Russell Marriner, 56, and son William, 20, insisted the puppy had attacked them but neither were able to show any wounds, while little Ted’s blood was splattered throughout the living room.
The pair had bludgeoned the pup with a vegetable steamer and vets later found a number of small wounds all over Ted’s body matching the pattern of holes on the utensil. An axe was also found near a pool of blood close by.
Police officers rushed to the property after receiving a call about a dog being beaten and found Ted huddled behind the door.
RSPCA Inspector Nikki Cheetham, who led the investigation for the animal welfare charity and attended with the police, said they finally managed to rouse one of the men ‘and it became immediately apparent that the small dog, called Ted, was severely injured’.
She added: ‘He was covered in dried blood and he had a significant wound to the top of his head.
‘Both the men claimed Ted had attacked them but neither of them was able to show any injuries.’
They also saw a number of further bloodstains throughout the living room, including on a blood-covered metal vegetable steamer, on an axe and on a cardboard box.
These items were seized as evidence and Ted was signed over into the RSPCA’s care.
Insp Cheetham said: ‘Ted was not able to weight bear on his right hind leg so I picked him up and carried him to my van. When we arrived at the vets, I found Ted cowering at the back of the kennel.
‘It took me several minutes to gain his trust.’
The cruel owners appeared at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court where they each admitted two animal welfare offences, including inflicting injuries on their dog and failing to ensure he received appropriate veterinary care for them.
Vets found Ted had bruising to his upper lip, a fractured tooth and a wound affecting his gums as well as bruising to his tongue, left eye and pinnae of both ears.
Radiographs also revealed Ted had a dislocated hip.
The veterinary report said: ‘The injuries sustained are, in my opinion, consistent with assault and severe blunt force trauma.
‘It takes a very significant amount of force to dislocate the hip and this is an extremely painful injury that can in some cases require hip surgery and can cause long term complications.
‘In addition to physical pain, Ted was suffering from fear.
‘He was nervous around humans and it took my colleagues and I time and care to build trust with him. The injuries sustained were severe, painful and caused a great deal of suffering.’
Eventually, Ted did not need hip surgery but he was placed on heavy medication until he got better.
The pup has since found a new home through the organisation’s York Animal Centre ‘where he will receive the love and attention that he deserves’.
Russell and William Marriner were handed 18-week prison sentences, suspended for 18 months, and banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
They were also both ordered to attend a six-month alcohol treatment program.
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